Free summer reading programs and movies for kids, All You Challenge Day 2

It's been one of those days that feel pointless. I was busy all day and feel like nothing was accomplished! And now I'm going in to work a 12 hour night shift at the hospital. I did get a wonderful 3 mile run in today with (behind) the cross country team. Love the trails at Jamestown Park.

Here is a link outlining many different summer reading programs. My kids have aged out of most of these, but loved them when they were involved. Thankfully, our library has a teen program with some worthy prizes (or, at least they always have in the past, they haven't started yet this year):
http://www.southernsavers.com/2011/06/free-kids-summer-reading-programs/

Be sure to call your local movie theater to find out when they are having free kid movies. Great chance to hang out at the big screen.

In honor of the first day of summer, tomorrow is free entrance to National Parks day at MOST parks. Be sure to call ahead first to make sure.

Great freebie: Tide Stain release sample worth 3 bucks:
http://www.facebook.com/Tide?sk=app_120573308019722

Free sample of Jif-to-Go peanut butter: http://samples.target.com/

I will be updating daily on the All You Grocery Challenge, which runs June19- July16. The Challenge: spend only $25 per person per week or less ($150.00 for my crew) to feed your family, including eating out...but do so in a creative, healthy way. An * denotes our own garden food; (parentheses indicate healthy changes.)  Winner gets $1000 and a write up in ALL YOU magazine!


Day 2:


Breakfast: (whole wheat) chocolate chip pancakes, OJ, milk, coffee
Lunch: Tuna (made with reduced olive oil mayo) on (whole grain) bread, (fresh fruit salad), chips, (water)
Dinner: BBQ grilled chicken breast, Italian style summer squash* baked with bread crumbs/parmesan, beets*, homemade pound cake with strawberries (sweetened with splenda), milk

My kids absolutely loved the pancakes. I have made them with whole wheat flour before and they didn't go over so well. I think adding a few chocolate chips was the key to success! I have started just serving water at lunch. We normally have Kool-Aid or juice, but I know water is better for you and it's something that I've been wanting to do all along.

As a side note, we LOVE milk, and will easily drink a gallon a day in our family. For years I purchased powdered milk, until the cost of powdered actually equaled that of regular milk, as it does now. For me, it is not only a cost factor, but a convenience issue as well. I don't like to shop more than once a week, and I can't fit 7 gallons of milk in the fridge!! Determined to find a better/easier way, I started mixing powdered milk half strength, but then mixing that half and half with whole milk, aggressively cutting down on fat content, but giving my kids all the protein and calcium. They don't mind the taste...not even my foreign student who absolutely refused the plain powdered stuff.


Purchases:
CVS: Protein Power bites: $2.49 -$2.00 coupon. 52 cents out of pocket